Back-rest



(No Model.)

- H. OHLSCHLAGER.

BACK REST.

No. 494,434. Patented Mar. 28, 1893.

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NITED i STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY OHLSCHLAGER, OF QUINOY, ILLINOIS.

BACK- REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,434, dated March 28, 1893.

Application iiled March 11,1892. Serial No. 424,548. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY OHLSCHLAGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Quincy, in the county of Adams, and in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Back Rests or Supports for Use with Beds; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my back-support-or-rest arranged for use on a bed; Fig. 2 a like view showing the same as attached to the head board of the bed, when not in use; and Fig. 3 a longitudinal section on a line passing through the brace or supporting bar, with the parts arranged as shown in Fig. 1.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

The design of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive back rest, or support for the use of invalids, more especially,while in their beds, to support them with comfort in a sitting posture; and to this end said invention consists in the back support or rest.

and its parts constructed and combined substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In carrying my invention into practice I construct, preferably of Wood, a light but strong, open, rectangular frame having two vertical side pieces A and A and two horizontal pieces A and Awhich are suitably secured together. Said frame may be perfectly plain, or it may be ornamented in any desired way, as by scroll work, and to it in the space between the pieces or bars A and A, and A and A', is attached a piece of, preferably, ilexible, fabric, or material, B, which may be canvas, carpet, cane work, or any other material which will be comfortable and easy to the back. If desired,of course, wood may be used, but some iexible material is preferable.

Pivotally attached to the frame at its back are two bars or rods C and C, preferably but not necessarily of metal, which constitute braces or supports for the back rest when in use, as hereinafter set forth. The points of attachment of said bars are at or near the upper ends of the vertical pieces A and A of the frame, and the attaching means consists of a pin which passes through an opening in the hook c.

the upper end of each bar or rod C and through a perforated ear or plate secured to the frame piece on each side of the bar or rod.

The lower, free end of each bar C is provided with a hook c that is adapted to engage an eye or loop D secured to the head board of a bed. Said eye is attached to the head board by means of screws, or the like, which pass through a base plate d attached to or forining part of the eye, and said plate is of such size as to prevent contact of the hook c with the head board, and so protects the same from being marred or scratched.

As I prefer that the support or rest shallfbe wide enough for but one person, where a double bed is used two pairs of the eyes D are attached to the head board to enable the rest to be used with either side of the bed. The eyes are all in the same horizontal line,and are attached to the head board at a point above the mattress for convenience of access, but not so high as not to be covered and concealed by the -pillows when the rest is not in use.

The length of the brace or supporting bars C is susceptible of variation, each, for this purpose, being made in two parts or sections which overlap and are capable of being slid over each other to increase or diminish the distance from the hinged or pivoted end to A set or thumb screw E is provided to clamp said sections iirmly together when 4adj usted to the desired length, said screw engaging a threaded opening in one section and passing through a longitudinal opening or slot in the other section, and having a collar or iiange to abut against the outer side of the latter. Thus constructed my support or rest is arranged for use by simply placing the hooks c in engagement with the proper eyes D on the head board, and, with the lower end of the back-engaging portion resting upon the bed, then setting such portion at the angle of inclination which the comfort of the invalid, or user, may dictate. Its removal from the bed necessitates only the disengagement of the hooks from the eyes.

In order that my device may be made as compact as possible when out of use, the vertical pieces A and A of the frame to which the brace bars C and C are attached, are provided with recesses or cavities having dimensions corresponding with the dimensions of IOO said bars into which the latter may be moved, while as a very convenient way of disposing of the whole device when not in use, I provide means for its temporary attachment to the head board, where it will be out of the way, but yet directly at hand for use. Such means consist of, preferably, three clips F, F and F attached to the back of the head board and situated relatively in such position that one can overlap and engage the bottom of the support or rest and one each side thereof, said support or rest being simply slid or slipped down between them and the head board. These clips can be made quite small and ornamental so as not to constitute any distigurement of the head board, even if attached to the front side thereof, but I prefer to place them on the back.

My device, it will be seen, is quite simple, the utilization ofthe head board by providing it with the eyes D contributing to this end as it makes unnecessary the provision of any means, as a part ot' the structure, for engagement with the hooks of the brace bars C. The adjustment of the length of the latter is specially advantageous as it allows a change in the inclination of the back-engaging portion, even while one may be leaning or resting against it, as the movement of said portion is thus in a circle which has the bed-engaging portion of the device as its center. Were the length of the bars not adjustable, the center of motion of the rest would be its point of connection with said bars, so that va- I'ation in the inclination of said rest could be effected only by moving` the end that rests upon the bed. Furthermore, with an unadjustable brace-bar, variations in the angle of inclination involve changes in the distance of the bed-engaging portion of the rest from the head board, while the adjustable bar enables substantially the same distance therefrom to be maintained, and that, too, which is desirable, not far from the head board, notwithstanding that the angle desired be quite considerable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In combination with the head board of a bed, and eyes or loops fixed thereto, a back support or rest composed essentially of a back engaging portion whose lower end rests upon the bed without being attached thereto, and extensible brace bars pivoted to said portion to support the same away from the head board and having hooks to detachably engage the eyes or loops on the head board, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

2. In a back rest, adapted to be supported by the head board of a bed in combination with the frame of the back-engaging portion having two, vertical, side pieces, an extensible brace bar composed of two pieces that is pivoted at its upper end to each side piece and has a hook at its lower end, to engage a loop or eye on the head board of a bed said side piece being provided with a recess or cavity into which said bar may bemoved, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of February, 1892.

HENRY OIILSCIILAGER. lVitnesses:

GERHARD G. ARENDs, Jr., JOSEPH KOEHUM. 

